How to Display Photographs in a Unique DIY Picture Frame

February 14, 2016

A basic thrift store wood frame is repurposed into an industrial farmhouse style place

to display your treasured family photos.

One of the most meaningful things to decorate your home with is family photos. Whether they are current photos of your husband and children or decades old pictures of ancestors, they showcase people who are important to you. You can keep those loved ones close by even if they are no longer with you or live thousands of miles away. A single photograph can transport you back to a time filled with joy, happiness, and fond memories. All things we should treasure.

There are only so many framed pictures that you can add to your space, though, and today's project helps solve that dilemma while sticking with my traditional farmhouse style.

Back in the fall, I shared a project for creating this picture frame at Craftberry Bush. Then the busy Christmas season came and I never got to show it to you here.

When I first bought the frame that had no glass and the idea popped into my head, it was going to be a farmhouse style message board....and it still can be. But when I went to take pictures of it used in that way, I saw that the message board could be something more. I realized that it was the perfect place to uniquely display some old family pictures that could be changed out often, making it possible to enjoy more of my photos without having pictures hanging everywhere.

Using miniature clothespins, photos can be attached to the hardware cloth stapled on the frame. Then they can be easily switched out with other pictures that you want to enjoy. Since this frame is long and skinny, I'm able to have three photographs displayed in the same frame.

In case you are interested in constructing something like this for yourself, here is how I made this framed message board....

The frame that I had was a little grimy and had a spot of white paint on it, so I started by lightly sanding the wood to reveal the pretty color underneath. Finding beautiful natural wood always makes my heart happy!

In addition to the wood frame, you'll also need some hardware cloth for inside the frame. I've seen a lot of message centers being made with chicken wire, but I already had hardware cloth leftover from the tulip crate I made last summer. I actually like seeing all the little squares lined up behind the frame better.

After measuring out the size of space in the opening of the frame, I cut the hardware cloth using wire cutters. You may want to wear gloves for this step because cutting through the thick wire doesn't feel all that great on your hands!

Finally, I attached the hardware cloth to the back of the frame using an electric staple gun.

The dark wood frame looks right at home being matched up with the industrial looking hardware cloth. It is a perfect mix for that rustic farmhouse style that we all love.

The pictures I'm displaying here are of my mom (the baby picture), her mom and dad (the top picture) and her dad's mother and father (the bottom picture). So in one place I'm able to show a glimpse of the generations of my family. It is interesting to be able to see that. I feel blessed that I am able to have photographs that go back to my great grandparents, and even great-great grandparents.

What unique ways do you have for displaying your most precious pictures? I'd love for you to share with me in the comments below, tag me on Instagram or share a photo to my Facebook page!

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